One to watch: Solicitor General Kevin Newsom
By Alexham Posted in Circuit Courts — Comments (16) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
As noted by one of our many astute commenters, Dienekes, there are signs that there may soon be a vacancy on the Eleventh Circuit. If that happens, don't be surprised if the president taps the thirty-four year old solicitor general of Alabama, Kevin Newsom, who was recently named as one of the nation’s most outstanding litigators under the age of 45. The Alabama Attorney General's Office issued a press release highlighting this honor, which I've included in this post below the fold, so that our readers can get a sense of Newsom's most impressive background. And yes, he clerked for Justice Souter. He also clerked for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the Ninth Circuit, one of the most conservative judges in the country, and was hired as solicitor general by Judge Bill Pryor. In short, our readers should keep in mind that Justice Scalia is not the only one who hires "counter clerks."
In any event, keep an eye out for Solicitor General Kevin Newsom. I suspect we will be hearing more about this rising conservative judicial star in the near future. Just remember that you heard about him here first. :)
Oh, and as promised, here is the text of the Newsom press release:
(MONTGOMERY)—Alabama Solicitor General Kevin Newsom rang in the New Year as one of the “Fab Fifty,” cited by The American Lawyer magazine as one of the nation’s most outstanding litigators under the age of 45. Newsom was selected as Solicitor General in 2003 and he has continued to serve in that position during the administration of Attorney General Troy King. As Solicitor General, Newsom directs and coordinates the State’s appellate litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Alabama Supreme Court.
Attorney General King commented on Newsom’s honor saying, “Kevin Newsom has built a solid national reputation as an advocate of the first order. Courts across America have come to respect his scholarship, and those with whom Alabama sides in issues of national importance have come to appreciate his persuasiveness and effectiveness. Through his work, Alabama is leading many of the most important public policy debates.”
At 34, Newsom was the third-youngest attorney to be honored in The American Lawyer’s listing, and one of only two from the South. The article, “Litigation’s Rising Stars,” spotlights 50 leading attorneys practicing in a variety of fields, including appellate, intellectual property, public interest, product liability, criminal defense, labor, antitrust, and securities. The nation’s Solicitor General, 40-year-old Paul Clement, heads the list.
“I am simultaneously proud of and humbled by this honor,” said Newsom. “I absolutely love what I do, and to be recognized for doing it well—and even to be mentioned in the same breath as folks like Paul Clement—is very gratifying. I appreciate so much the opportunity that Judge Pryor and General King have given me to serve the people of Alabama.”
The magazine’s January cover story includes the following profile:
“Kevin Newsom is only 34 and now practices far from the appellate hotbed of Washington, D.C., where he once worked as a Covington & Burling associate. Although he’s lost the three cases he’s argued so far before the U.S. Supreme Court, the former clerk for Justice David Souter nevertheless draws raves from leading appellate advocates. “He’s really, really good,” says Carter Phillips of Sidley Austin; another Supreme Court regular says that Newsom writes briefs with a novelist’s sense of language. His fellow Supreme Court clerks voted him the lawyer they’d hire if they needed an advocate. As Alabama’s SG, Newsom has argued nine cases in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He’s won seven—and the other two are pending.”
Newsom graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1997, where he was an articles editor for the Harvard Law Review. At Samford University, he was ranked first in his class and graduated summa cum laude with a perfect grade point average.
Newsom served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court David Souter during the October 2000 Term, and before that, to Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He came to his current post from the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C.
Newsom was recently elected to membership in the American Law Institute. He received Best Brief Awards from the National Association of Attorneys General in both 2005 and 2006.
A native of Alabama, Newsom now lives in Montgomery with his wife, Deborah Elizabeth Wilgus Newsom, and their two sons Marshall James Newsom, four, and Chapman Bethea Newsom, one.
Hmmm
by fast200
We sure this guy is a conservative though? He went to Harvard and clerked for Souter.
Come now, fast200
by EzOnTheEyez
Michael McConnell went to Chicago Law and clerked for William Brennan.
Miguel Estrada went to Harvard Law and clerked for Anthony Kennedy.
One is an excellent judge, the other would be if he hadn't been filibustered by Democrats, and they would both be excellent Supreme Court justices.
Newsom looks good. The Texas Solicitor General R. Ted Cruz needs to be nominated for the 5th Circuit, too.
I haven't heard anything about an "Alabama" seat on the 11th Circuit opening up. Is there some news of which I am unaware? Is Joel Dubina about to take senior status? I doubt seriously that Ed Carnes or Bill Pryor will be going anywhere soon.
Good point
by Alexham
Excellent point, Bobo. The question is not just whether there is a vacancy, but also whether there is a Alabama vacancy.
Perhaps it is just wishful thinking on my part. My sources tell me that Newsom is as solid as they come.
That having been said, Newsom's strong D.C. contacts might place him on the short list for that circuit as well.
excellent
by Dienekes
though I have a hard time believing the Dems would let a 34 year old on the bench in these last years (though the Souter clerkship would help him on that score). and as BoBo says, Florida and Georgia seats are more likely to be vacated based on the age of their current occupants. but at 34, he'll be on the list for 2 more decades! definitely one to watch.
Also, Doug Ginsburg clerked
by BillM
Also, Doug Ginsburg clerked for TMarshall. McConnell's tenure w/Brennan would have to be fascinating to hear about, as would the eulogy MMc gave at Brennan's funeral.
I've heard that Souter asks no "technical" questions when interviewing potential clerks.
Newsom is only 34, was once in the same room as that radical, racist, extremist Bill Pryor, and he's from the same radical, racist, extremist state that Pryor, Roy Moore, JRB, & George Wallace are from. And, he once willingly traveled thru SCarolina, where Strom Thurmond was from. He's got no chance.
Don't Forget Condi
by EzOnTheEyez
Condi is from Alabama, too. :-)
Well
by fast200
I'm not saying he's NOT conservative, but I have to question. Does anyone have the inside scoop on this guy? There are brilliant liberals too ya know.
L.A. Times supports Keisler!
by BoBo
Courtesy of How Appealing and Bench Memos:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-edw-judges17jan17,0,5092357.story...
"The question now is how Democrats will respond to their majority status. They have two choices: use that status to seek a middle ground with the administration on judicial nominations, approving moderate conservatives such as Assistant Atty. Gen. Peter D. Keisler, who has been renominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, or perpetuate the tit-for-tat partisan pettiness that has marred the judicial selection process since the Clinton administration."
Newsom rocks!
by Nate H
Newsom's the real deal people. I've had the opportunity to pick his brain several times and he's freakin' brilliant. Check out his written work (e.g., briefs).
Further, Feddie was singing this guy's praises way back when. See here
Diarmuid Fonntain
by BillM
Diarmuid Fonntain O'Scannlain. That's gotta be one of the all-time great names (and, BTW, yet another judge Reagan could've nominated instead of AMK; hell, he even KNEW DFO from his work on the transistion team in '80-'81).
Check out his resume: http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=1803
If he retires tomorrow is it an Oregon seat or a Cali seat.... ;)
Here's AMK's resume:
by BillM
Here's AMK's resume: http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=1256
I'll leave to others to compare it to DFO's c.1987, but it's hard to criticize RWR, esp. in light of AMK's blatant wink/nudging to Helms...
And, sigh, here's Silberman: http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=2189
BillM
by Matthew Friendly
Yes, O'Scannlain could have been nominated instead of Kennedy and would have been a GREAT Supreme Court Justice, right there with Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas. They would have been a united foursome for all these years, and instead of the terrible decisions over the years fostered by the swinger Kennedy we would have had 20 years of a solid originalist block on the Court. Add Roberts and Alito, and, well, you can imagine what it would have been like...
Re: Past Mistakes
by EzOnTheEyez
I think that we've done a good job of teaching Republican presidents that we won't compromise. And if there is any doubt, the whole fracas over Harriet Miers should have cleared up any confusion over that point.
Matthew
by BillM
Don't forget that White would've been there thru '93 & never EVER forget that Jones SHOULD have been there since '91. And on top of everything else, such a powerhouse bloc marginalizes any attempt by Sandy to seize the spotlight.
I just have to completely disagree w/macc's comments in a below thread that such a bloc "peaks too early".
That was the big chance; 15-20 HOF caliber superstars to choose from and we get a philosopher king & the reicarnation of William Brennan.
The Stevens apocalypse & O'Connor disaster are at least somewhat understandable, best of intentions combined w/very sloppy vetting, but AMK & DHS are just inexcusable on all levels.
He also clerked for Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the Ninth Circuit, one of the most conservative judges in the country,
He must have gotten a lot of practice writing dissents.
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Bipartisanship = give + take. Republicans give. Democrats take.